Libya Demands Explanation For US Raid In Tripoli

Libya’s interim government demanded an explanation for a US raid in Tripoli over the weekend to capture a known al Qaeda leader. The government called the incident a “kidnapping” of a Libyan suspect.

American troops, along with CIA and FBI agents, captured Nazih Abdul-Hamed al-Ruqai, also known by the name Abu Anas al-Liby, on the streets of Tripoli.

The Tripoli raid happened about the same time a Navy SEAL team raided the villa of a militant leader in Somalia.

Abu Anas is wanted by the United States for allegedly helping to plan the 1998 US Embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania. The al-Qaeda leader was indicted in New York in 2000 and had a $5 million bounty on his head.

While the Libyan government appeared displeased with the US raid to capture Abu Anas, a businessman in Tripoli felt differently. The man, who gave his name as Hassan, stated that the capture “was a good thing.” He added, “These men are the main reason we are facing issues like this, and they should be taken out of the country. Even my friends were happy to clean the country of those terrorists.”

Libyan PM Ali Zeidan’s office released a statement about the US raid, saying that the government was “following the news of the kidnapping of a Libyan citizen who is wanted by U.S. authorities.” The statement added that the government “has contacted to U.S. authorities to ask them to provide an explanation.”

While some citizens agreed with Hassan’s take on the US raid, other Libyans were angry that the incident surprised their government. They were also upset that foreign troops conducted a military operation in their country. There was also concern that Islamists could retaliate, specifically that they would attack the American Embassy in Tripoli. A retaliation could escalate into more violence.

It’s not clear if the US will give the Libyan government an explanation for the raid.